Mt 5:1-12a

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At the beginning of the sermon of the mount, Jesus gives the beatitudes.

There is a song with the question, "What is the promise that embraces my need?" These are those promises. These beatitudes respond to the human desire for happiness. They reveal the true dignity and vocation of humanity to heavenly bliss. And this great gift of God is much greater than our need; therefore the promise "embraces" the need. We must allow ourselves to be embraced by God! "God is greater than our hearts" (1 Jn 3:20). What patience, what endurance we can gain from sincerely accepting these promises. The very lack of consolation can become a consolation, because blessed are they who mourn. These beatitudes can help us recover our peace amidst tribulations.

Human happiness is achieved for good in the beatific vision - seeing God in heaven. The beatitudes are like 8 pathways to this vision. Jesus lived them to perfection, and Jesus is the Way. Let us be poor in spirit, dependent on God! Let us mourn for our sins! Let us build the spiritual life on humility! Let us hunger for doing the will of the Father! Let us soften strict justice with mercy! Let us live in the truth with a pure heart! Let us be instruments of peace! Let us bear our share of hardship for the sake of the Gospel!

The beatitudes call us to be little ones, to be poor ones. They turn our expectations on their head. "He who humbles himself will be exalted" (Lk 14:11). They call us to the simplicity of a child in the hands of his or her Father. They call us to St. Thérèse's little way of love. "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 18:3). Knowing his promises, we can trust God with complete confidence. For God always keeps his promises. "If we have died with him, we shall also live with him. If we hold out to the end we shall also reign with him" (2 Tim 2:11-12).

Lord, thank you for responding to our desire for happiness with these wonderful promises! Convert us to your Way so that already on earth we can begin to experience the joys promised. Send us the grace we need to live these beatitudes every day of our lives!

Mary, gate of heaven, make us worthy of the promises of Christ! See to it that we attain to our happiness by remaining faithful through all our trials. Recall these promises to our minds when things get tough, or when we feel we are little.

MK 4:26-34

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Jesus gives a couple of parables about the kingdom of God. In the first the sower sows a seed and then it grows without the sower's intervention until the harvest, producing "first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear" (4:28). In the second the tiny mustard seed grows into the largest shrub, becoming a home for birds and other animals.

What does this tell us about the kingdom? The seed of the kingdom is faith in God. "This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent" (Jn 6:29). Since by earth is meant us (consider the well-known parable of the sower), the kingdom unfolds in concert with our free will. One father writes that this kingdom develops in three stages: by the blade is meant natural law, the ear is to be collected and offered as in the law of Moses, and the full grain or fruit corresponds to the Gospel and its fruits of charity, forgiveness, etc. Our faith in God can lead us through these stages, both individually and collectively as a people. At the end of time the Son will return to harvest what has been growing through its inherent power and our cooperation.

Or another interpretation describes the development of virtue:

GREGORY; Or else; Man casts seed to the ground, when he places a good intention in his heart; and he sleeps, when he already rests in the hope which attends on a good work. But he rises night and day because he advances amidst prosperity and adversity, though he knows it not for he is as yet unable to measure his increase, and yet virtue, once conceived, goes on increasing. When therefore we conceive good desires, we put seed into the ground; when we begin to work rightly, we are the blade. When we increase to the perfection of good works, we arrive at the ear; when we are firmly fixed in the perfection of the same working, we already put forth the full corn in the ear.

The second parable indicates that though the kingdom starts through such a tiny seed, faith in God, it grows up to be spoken of universally throughout the world. This proclamation happens through the Church, who continues to send ones to believe in. By the birds of the air are meant men of lofty contemplation, such as St. Augustine or many other gentiles who come to rest in the work of the Church. St. Augustine wrote, "I have read in Plato or Cicero sayings that are wise and very beautiful; but I have never read in either of them: Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden."

Lord, send us your representatives in whom we can believe. Help us to trustingly accept in faith the witness of our friends and spiritual directors, and so become a witness ourselves. Lead us to dwell in the sacramental and missionary life of the Church, taking on Christ's light burden.

Mary, Queen of apostles and martyrs, find us with your servants, and win us over, so that we may cooperate with the kingdom of God's ongoing development. Send us some of your grace to help form in us the virtues that are conducive to that kingdom.

Mk 4:12-17

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After John the Baptist's captivity, Jesus flees to Galilee to delay his passion and preach to more people.

Matthew writes that Jesus fulfills a prophecy with this action: "...the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen." The Fathers are clear that this darkness is a spiritual darkness of sin. The people were sitting in darkness, signifying that they were awaiting deliverance. They did not know what to do, but expected their direction from without. How many times can we find ourselves in a circle of repeated sin, needing an initiative from God to break us out?

One interpretation of this passage uses the names of the places:

Nazareth is interpreted 'a flower,' Capernaum, 'the beautiful village;' He left therefore the flower of figure, (in which was mystically intended the fruit of the Gospel,) and came into the Church, which was beautiful with Christ's virtues. It is by the sea-coast, because placed near the waves of this world, it is daily beaten by the storms of persecution. It is situated between Zabuloin and Naphtali, i.e. common to Jews and Gentiles. Zabulon is interpreted, 'the abode of strength;' because the Apostles, who were chosen from Judaea, were strong. Nephtali, 'extension,' because the Church of the Gentiles was extended through the world.

Also in this passage Jesus announces the imminence of the kingdom of Heaven. The kingdom of heaven is a major element in the Gospels, and even in the Old Testament. It is the reign of God over his chosen people, and - through them - over the whole world. In this kingdom are the saints, who acknowledge God as Lord by knowing and loving Him. It is a kingdom which was threatened by sin, and which stood in need of saving action from God. It is this saving action that Jesus proclaims as imminent. Rather than a nationalist uprising, the kingdom makes a humble beginning on this earth in the form of a spiritual movement.

Lord, come to us and break us out of our circles of repeated sin and death. Shine your light in and through us to reach the whole world. Do not let us reject your kingdom, but lead us to its fullness. Come Lord Jesus!

Mary, star of the sea and morning star, make us - like you - a window through which the Lord's light is magnified. Make our experience of the Church as beautiful as it should be. Reign over our hearts as Queen and so hasten the coming of God's kingdom!

Mk 3:20-21

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Jesus comes down from the mountain to his earthly home and enters a house.

One of the fathers writes that in bringing the apostles to a house, he entreats them to examine their conscience. How frequently do we examine our conscience? Many in the church examine their conscience when they return to their rooms at night for night prayer. Or we may examine our conscience at the beginning of mass.

But they do not have long to examine, since the crowds press upon them, thirsty for the living water that Jesus gives and the miracles he can provide. It was not the princes, but the common people who pressed upon Jesus. The poor ones, those who acknowledge their utter need before Christ, these are the ones who beg for salvation from the Author of Salvation.

And then there were His relatives. They misunderstood his wonders, thinking Jesus mad. After all, He had some many people attending on Him that He couldn’t eat. Jesus’ home life was not the most comfortable. He had to disagree with the sentiments of his own relatives. Think of what his mother must have felt when he said, “Who are my mother and my brothers? Those who hear the Word of God and observe it.” (Although, Mary fits this category). Or how she didn’t understand when as a boy he discussed truth in His Father’s house. Or how she looked at him on the cross, trying to understand how he was the king and savior that the angel promised her. And yet no one understood better than her who had pondered all in her heart and who was so closely conformed to Jesus, man of her flesh. It could be but probably wasn’t Mary who thought Christ was mad, but some other relatives.

Lord, help us to examine our conscience and see not only our sins but our need for You. Stoop down to our needs and provide for us, so that we follow you. Keep us humble before you so that we do not try to control how you choose to act in our lives. Help us in our misunderstandings with others to seek the truth, which is outside us, and to find it!

Mary, refuge of sinners, lead us to your Son whom we so desperately need as the Coherence of our lives and the Author of our salvation. Go between Your Son and us so that we may reach a better understanding of the Father’s will in our life. Give us your poor humility to accept God’s action in our life, however that may come about.

Mk 3:7-12

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After the Pharisees go to plot Jesus' death with the Herodians, Jesus retires to a lakeside.

Numerous crowds follow him there. It is a prefigurement of his passion, "when I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all men to myself" (John). Jesus is already drawing all men to Himself by the power of his preaching and miracles.

And the people come from all regions to the lakeside. This circumstance signifies that Jesus, after being rejected by the Jews, becomes a light to the Gentiles.

But he withdraws into a boat. Jesus hides his glory a little bit. He withdraws into the boat as he withdraws into the Church and into our very bodies through the Eucharist. The people of God are a vessel in which Christ is partly revealed, partly concealed. But he is never completely concealed in the Church. He is still accessible to his closest disciples, the ones who remain faithful to Him over time, and he still preaches to the nations from the Church. For example, one can think of how many spiritual books our late pope John Paul II wrote for the faithful, and yet how many countries he visited as well.

Lord, draw us to yourself, as a moth to a flame! Grant us patience when we do not understand fully Your mysteries, and reveal to us more and more the extent of Your saving love. Come into our Church, into our bodies, and teach us to see as your see, and shine as You shine, so to shine as to be a light to others, with all the light coming from You.

Mary, ark of the covenant, teach us how to carry Jesus with us throughout the day, and how to share Him with others, or rather find Him there loving through us. Let nothing ever trouble our peace, or make us leave the thought of God, but let each moment draw us further into the depths of the august mystery, further into Love.

MK 2:23-28

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After being questioned about fasting, Jesus is once again confronted by the Pharisees. Jesus' disciples had been making a path through a cornfield by picking the corn, something which broke the Sabbath in the opinion of the Pharisees.

But Jesus cites a passage from 1 Samuel about David and defends his disciples. From this we glean the importance of a good pastor or leader or director in the Church. He must account for the actions of all his disciples. Above all, he or she must love them.

What he says next is even more revealing: "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." With these words Jesus establishes the primacy of the person. A person's health and purpose were more important than the rules of the Pharisees.

Jesus then calls himself the "Son of Man." The notes tell us that this designation was primarily for Mark's Christian audience, and not for the Pharisees. In other words, it was for us. Why does Jesus call himself the Son of Man? It is the way he most frequently refers to himself in the Gospels. Perhaps it is because it is linked to his mission. Jesus was God; he became man to save man and draw man into His life as God. He can sympathize with our weaknesses because he was tested in every way, yet without sin. When the Word became flesh he became one of us, a son of man. Perhaps Jesus sees his human nature as a network of people, as a web of relationships. He had a human culture. Perhaps he is extending his connections beyond this culture by calling himself by a more universal name, since indeed he did come to take away the sins of the world.

Lord Jesus, help us to remember the primacy of the person with all their God-given dignity. Have mercy on us in our weaknesses and lead us to the Father's will in every circumstance of our lives, so that we may live as God intended.

Mary, tower of David, help us to hunger always for the true Bread of Life, the Eucharist. Help us to see ourselves as related to our fellow man, remembering his or her dignity. Give us your humble courage to allow ourselves to be led by God and his Church.

Mk 2:18-22

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In this passage Jesus is questioned by the followers of John and the Pharisees, who want to know why he doesn't fast - or rather, why he eats without fasting with sinners (for Jesus may very well have fasted when he was alone, as he did in the 40 days in the desert). And Jesus responds - "Can the wedding guests fast while the Bridegroom is with them?"

Now Jesus is the Bridegroom of the Church, of humanity through the Church. He fulfills the relationship prophesied in Hosea. The guests in this case are the Apostles, although we too are invited to the King's banquet everyday in the Eucharist. And every Christian marriage should be a living sign of Christ's marriage to the Church.

The wedding guests do not fast because it is a time of joy. Joy is a sign of God's presence among us. If we do not have joy, let us beg to be made aware of God's presence.

And Jesus, the Bridegroom, does something new. He does not repeat the Old Testament, but rather fulfills it. He does not repeat the old Law, but rather gives a new covenant, written in his own blood. Indeed, he begins a new creation by which we are totally transformed.

Lord, make us aware of your Presence so that we can rejoice with you! Please do something new in our lives! Teach us to feast when it is time to feast, and to fast when our sin separates us from you, if appropriate.

Mary, cause of our joy, bring us to your Son so that we can rejoice in His Presence. Or, give us strength when we face the time of trial or penance.

Mk 2:13-17

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After the healing of the paralytic, Mark has Jesus going once again to the sea. The crowds follow him there, and he teaches them.

Jesus' teaching was different than the average teacher. He taught as one having authority, as one making absolute claims on his hearers. This puts Him in line with the best of the prophets. Upon hearing Jesus, one had to make a decision.

Not only Jesus' words, but Jesus' gaze was powerful. He stopped by the customs post, and there he set his gaze on Levi (Matthew), looking on Him with infinite Divine Love. After such a look, Matthew the tax collector had to make a decision; he had come upon the authority of Jesus that challenges one to the core. He immediately got up and followed Jesus. After a look, Matthew left behind a way of life, and began to share in the life and work of Jesus Christ.

Then Matthew welcomes Jesus into his home, where Jesus dines with tax collectors and sinners. He dined with them not so that they would stay sinners, but so that they would leave behind their former way of life and become Christian, become more authentically human ("well"). Mnsr Liugi Giussani used to say that "the Church is that place where true humanity, fashioned according to God's will, comes within everyone's grasp." This is one meaning of "those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do." Those whose humanity is broken, those who are tied up in their own sins, those who are oppressed by evil (which is a lack of goodness) and who admit it, these people need a Liberator, a Divine Physician. The Pharisees, because of their self-righteousness, could not welcome Jesus, and they did not go away changed. Only those who humbly acknowledged their need for Jesus could benefit from Jesus' Presence.

Lord, come into your Church, your Church of sinners, and transform us into saints. Look on us with infinitely compassionate love, as you looked on Matthew, so that we might imitate you and look this way on on our neighbor, and so hasten the coming of your kingdom! When you come to us in the Eucharist, restore our fallen humanity into the new creation that you begin.

Mary, Queen of all hearts, draw us into the life of your Church, the life which is Jesus, such that we want to lead new and exciting lives with Him. Help us to remember the gaze Christ has had for us so far, through all the mediums, so that we might be faithful to His love and imitate it with our neighbor.

Mk 1:14-20

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After John is arrested, Mark has Jesus begin preaching the imminence of the Kingdom of God, i.e. the rule of God over our hearts. Soon he calls his first four disciples: Simon and Andrew, and James and John the Sons of Zebedee.

What does it mean to follow the Lord? Certainly they got up and followed him physically. One of the Fathers correlates each of the four disciples to a virtue based on their name:

PSEUDO-JEROME: Again, Simon, means obedient; Andrew, manly; James, supplanter; John, grace; by which four names, we are knit together into God's host; by obedience, that we may listen; by manliness, that we do battle; by overthrowing, that we may persevere; by grace, that we may he preserved. Which four virtues are called cardinal; for by prudence, we obey; by justice, we bear ourselves manfully; by temperance, we tread the serpent underfoot; by fortitude, we earn the grace of God.

So following the Lord may imply living a virtuous life. The study notes suggest that for us who did not have the same exact honor as these apostles, we can still follow Jesus by sharing fellowship with Him, or imitating Him.

But this fellowship comes with sacrifice. What does it mean to leave our nets behind? It may mean giving up something that is keeping us from following the Lord in the ways mentioned above. Rather than leaving someone we might have to go to a messy relationship in order to follow the Lord more closely, acting as a Christian would. Or it may mean starting (with God's help) something completely new, trusting in the providence of God.

Not that the disciples got it all right the first time. The fathers point out that given the differences in the Gospels, the most natural thing is for the fishermen to have left their nets and started following Christ, and then return to their fishing at some point, perhaps at the death of the Baptist, at which point they were called again by Christ. From this we can see that the Apostles were human just like us and that Christ faithfully met them through their weakness.

Grant us your fellowship, Lord! Remain on our case and come to us even after we leave you in our imperfect humanity. Come establish the Kingdom of God in our hearts, and give us the courage to follow You without counting the cost. Let us be Christian in every way. Let us love to be called Christian.

Mary, mother of divine grace, help us to be more like John, whose name means grace, and to follow Jesus wherever He goes. Help us to share in the fellowship of Simon, Andrew, James, John, and Jesus. Help form in us Christian virtues so that the world will be changed. We beg you to give us the heart of Christ with which to love God and neighbor!

Mt 3:13-17

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Jesus is baptized when he is about 30 years old at the start of his public ministry. One father of the church remarks that no one who is not of full age should preach. While I do not consider this blog to be preaching, nevertheless I still wonder if I who am 21 am qualified to be writing even just a blog on such a Holy topic as the Eternal Word of God. (Please comment on this, I won't be offended).

Jesus steps into the place of sinners here, foreshadowing what he would do on Calvary. To John's questionings about who should baptize who, one father writes that Jesus' reply meant as much as "allow it now, for in the future I am going to baptize you with blood, my own." Because of this link to the passion in this cleansing of the sacrament, we can understand what St. Paul writes, "Are you unaware brothers that we who are baptized into Christ's baptism were baptized into his death?" Indeed, the very word Jordan means "descent" and one must bow humbly to accept the new life given in Christ, with its crosses and glory. As Jesus immediately ascends so too can we strive to grow up strong in grace after heaven has been opened for us by our baptism.

We find also the Blessed Trinity present at the baptism. The voice of the Father shows Jesus to be a true Son, and also harkens to the Old Testament Prophet Isaiah,

"Here is my servant whom I uphold,

my chosen one with whom I am pleased,

Upon whom I have put my spirit;

he shall bring forth justice to the nations..."

This justice is accomplished on the cross. The Holy Spirit is at the beginning of the new creation in the form of a dove. I will quote the fathers on this:

PSEUDO-CHRYS. The Holy Ghost took the likeness of a dove, as being more than other animals susceptible of love. All other forms of righteousness which the servants of God have in truth and verity, the servants of the Devil have in spurious imitation; the love of the Holy Spirit alone an unclean spirit cannot imitate. And the Holy Ghost has therefore reserved to Himself this special manifestation of love, because by no testimony is it so clearly seen where He dwells as by the grace of love.

RABAN. Seven excellencies in the baptized are figured by the dove. The dove has her abode near the rivers, that when the hawk is seen, she may dive under water and escape; she chooses the better grains of corn; she feeds the young of other birds; she does not tear with her beak; she lacks a gall; she has her rest in the caverns of the rocks; for her song she has a plaint. Thus the saints dwell beside the streams of Divine Scripture, that they may escape the assaults of the Devil; they choose wholesome doctrine, and not heretical for their food; they nourish by teaching and example, men who have been the children of the Devil, i. e the imitators; they do not pervert good doctrine by tearing it to pieces as the heretics do; they are without hate irreconcilable; they build their nest in the wounds of Christ's death, which is to them a firm rock, that is their refuge and hope; as others delight in song, so do they in groaning for their sin.

CHRYS. It is moreover an allusion to ancient history; for in the deluge this creature appeared bearing an olive-branch, and tidings of rest to the world. All which things were a type of things to come. For now also a dove appears pointing out to us our liberator, and for an olive-branch bringing the adoption of the human race.

So the dove is an excellent choice. And, once again in communion with the Blessed Trinity, and also with his fellow human, Jesus shows us the two object, one action we are to share in the joy of love. We are to give everything for the father and for our neighbor. But let us not forget that it was God who acted first. Jesus came to John, though John was watching. So too does charity flow from God in superabundance when we are open, and is not a only a matter of shoulds, but of wants. We want to please God our Father and therefore we enter also into solidarity with our neighbor.

Lord, come to us and walk with us, turning our hearts in the Holy Spirit of love towards the Father and towards each other. You have have given power to our Sacraments, help us to live them in all their beauty!

Mary, help of Christians, help us to live the crosses we are given in each moment and lead us ever higher into the splendors of heaven, into a greater communion with the Trinity and with each other!

LK 5: 12-16

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Jesus encounters a man with a serious skin disease, and the man tells Jesus "Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean." From this leper we can learn to ask for God's will in our infirmities, rather than for healing straight up. For perhaps God is allowing us to share in the cross and come to sanctity through our infirmity. But Jesus replied "I do will it. Be made clean." In this case Jesus willed to heal the man.

And he touched him. This was something forbidden by the Jewish law. So Jesus shows that he is not subject to the law. Rather, he fulfills it because he is the sacrifice it requires. We can share in this reality through the Divine Mercy Chaplet, where we offer the Father the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

Then he orders him to go show himself to the priest. He knew that man is fickle and if not placed in front of God at all times, man's heart will wane. Might we say the same for our sacraments? Daily mass, confession, etc help remind us of what God is doing for us and keep our hearts aflame with Divine Love.

Lord, may your will be done in us. If you wish, heal all of our serious maladies, whether they are physical, intellectual, or spiritual. You are the Word made flesh who knows what it is to live in a human body. Touch us with your compassion.

Mary, health of the sick, be a mother to us in our infirmities. If the Lord will not heal us, then give us the courage to bear our cross with dignity.

Glory be forever to the Divine Healer!

Lk 4:14-22

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After vanquishing the Devil, Jesus returns in the Spirit to Galilee where his fame grows, and then enters Nazareth to proclaim the kingdom of God to his brethren. He takes the scroll and reads:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord."

(In another translation he is also anointed to "heal the broken hearted").

Here Jesus shows his communion with the other Persons of the Blessed Trinity. He reads and fulfills the prophecy of the Old Testament God by God's providence, and he announces his communion with the Holy Spirit.

He also shows his loving heart for humanity, starting with his very own hometown. Can we not take a lesson from this and love the people right next to us first? He has come for the poor in spirit and materially poor, for those blind physically and spiritually, for those captive to sin, for those burdened by the impossible law. And he still comes for these sick people now, for the year acceptable to the Lord can mean the entire life of the Church, which works tirelessly in the service of humanity. One can think of the various saints who spent their lives working for a more just social order, for example.

And the eyes of all were fixed on Christ. Let us return his gaze for us! Let us look at him through the Scriptures, through our Christian friends, through our faith in the sacraments, through Eucharistic adoration, through his everyday Presence!

But let us beware of fickleness, of praising Christ in his Church at one minute and then condemning him in the next.

Lord, come and set us free to worship you without fear! Give us your Spirit, so that we might commune with God and will the good of our neighbor, becoming agents of Your divine Love right where we are planted. Grant that we may experience the "glorious freedom of the children of God."

Mary, shrine of the Spirit, send the Holy Spirit into our hearts to form Christ in us! Come Holy Spirit!

Mk 6:45-52

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After Jesus works the miracle of the loaves, he sends his disciples on a sea journey and dismisses the crowds. Then he goes up a mountain to pray alone, allowing his apostles to struggle before he comes to them across the sea.

Now the ship of the Apostles can be taken in an allegorical sense to mean Holy Mother Church, or else the individual soul. Both are buffeted by evil, error, and other storms of circumstance. Often those in the Church or the thoughts of the soul feel abandoned by God, by the Person of Christ.

But He is there on the shore, watching. He is allowing his people to build up patience and to experience their need for Him. When He is going to pass us by, he does so that we might cry out to Him.

And He responds - "Take Courage. It is I. Do not be afraid." After all, "Perfect love casts out all fear." When he says "It is I," it could be translated as "I AM", showing that He is who is, He is Being itself and therefore all creation serves Him. Its like in the Matrix: "Do not try to bend the spoon; that's impossible. Instead know the truth - there is no spoon..." Jesus knows the truth that He is God's Son, and so He could walk on God's water. And the storm calms at his Presence, "whose Voice is contentment and Presence is balm." It reminds one of David's wars, which were fought with the Lord on their side. Or of the passage in Joshua where the Lord listens to Joshua's request to stop the Sun! Or of the turmoil in fear-ridden Middle East and the voice of Papa Benedict calling for peace.

The Lord is on our side, friends! He sees us and comes to us concretely through the sacraments, through our fellow Christian witnesses, through the facts of life. Do not be afraid!

Lord, Divine Love, increase our faith in you and help us never to doubt that you are looking on us with love. Lord, without you we struggle in vain. Come to us and remain with us. Bring your light and hope and courage, "for if God is for us who can be against us?"

Mary, star of the sea, shine your light when we feel abandoned by God. Lead us to your Son, to the Word among us! Inspire our prayers, and present Jesus with all our needs, first and foremost our need for Himself.

All glory and praise to You, Blessed Trinity!